嘉义县

Why this place

Chiayi County holds Alishan, the mountain that gives its name to the island's most famous tea and its most famous railway. The mountain trail, the old forest railway and the sunrise over the sea of cloud are the classic Chinese-language travel experience of the island.

What to see

• Alishan: the forest railway, the giant ancient cypress trees and the sunrise train to Zhushan
• The Alishan high-mountain tea plantations, with mist and terraced bushes
• The Fenqihu old town and the railway lunch boxes
• The Taiping and Ruili ancient trails, and the indigenous Tsou villages

What to eat

• Alishan high-mountain tea — the 'oolong' grown above 1,000 metres
• Fenqihu's railway bento boxes, and the local 'wasabi' dishes

Best time

March–April for cherry blossom; October–December for clear mountain views; the sunrise is best in autumn and winter

Practical tips

• Alishan sunrise needs a pre-dawn train and a clear day — stay on the mountain overnight and have a backup morning